Why having lunch at one’s desk is a shi*** idea

Office Managers, you’re swamped with work. We know that. So, it often happens that you have lunch at your desk to gain time. Yeah, you gain between 30 minutes and 1H30, depending on the time you usually take to have lunch, when you leave the office. You’re convinced that it’s a good solution for your lack of time, after all a day only has only 24 hours. Actually, this is completely wrong, it’s a shi*** idea. This is due to several reasons. Here they are: 

Your desk is filthy

In case you didn’t know, yes your desk is probably filthy. Your keyboard, your mouse and even your mouse pad are hotbeds of bacteria. To be straight about it, your desk’s hygiene is clearly not enough, to allow yourself the luxury to eat there. Unless, you wish to fall sick and get a few days of sick leave, we advise you against it. Don’t think that you’re protected just because you wipe your desk quickly every Friday evening, before the weekend. 

You lose productivity

By eating at your desk while working, you have the impression of wasting less time and logically spending a productive day? Not at all, in fact it’s the complete opposite. This will come in the way of your productivity. According to a study published in PLOS ONE review, it could lead to a reduction in cognitive control, which makes a direct impact while controlling one’s capacities and the possibility of giving great attention to potential mistakes. In other words, by eating at your desk, you work poorly during the entire afternoon. To work better, take a real break. 

You’re stressed

The lunch break is a way of relaxing and talking about other things, rather than work. By spending pleasant moments with your colleagues, you can for example talk about the major hangover you had the previous day, which will definitely make your peers laugh and they’ll in turn talk about their own alcoholic setbacks. These moments help you relax, before tackling the tedious afternoon. Eating at one’s office prevents this relaxation. In the end, you’re more stressed and once again, this makes an impact on your productivity. 

Your food stinks

If nobody dared to tell you so, we’ll be straight about it: your food stinks. There you go. It’s been years since you love codfish (which is surely rich in omega 3). But your meals stink, and your colleagues can’t stand these smells anymore. If you’re in an open space, this definitely makes collaborators who wish to eat at their own desk, run away as they change their minds about being choked to death. Respect your colleagues, don’t eat at your desk (or stop with the codfish). 

It stops creativity

Not taking a lunch break comes in the way of creativity. This isn’t anything new, creativity is a key skill, when it comes to being an Office Manager, while one needs to find solutions all the time, in less than 5 minutes, to various yet crazy issues. Without your legendary creativity, how are you going to come up with new and unique ideas to implement in your company, for example?  

You don’t take advantage of the discussions you could have with your colleagues

By eating at your desk, you don’t spend a pleasant moment with colleagues. You remain alone, not speaking to anyone, except potential suppliers who call you to pay up their bills, once and for all. Too bad, if the conversation on the table is about Suzan’s kid, who gets on your nerves with her overflowing enthusiasm, and talks about her son who is finally clean (it was high time, he’s 8!). Lack of human exchanges is bad for your morale and mental health. 

Eating quickly makes one fat

When you eat at your desk, theoretically you do this quickly. A ham and cheese sandwich which you swallow up in 5 minutes rather than a four-star meal, where you take your time. We don’t want to make anyone feel guilty but eating quickly can make one fat. Worst case scenario eat at your desk but take your time, it’s always better.